Clifton L. Corker

Clifton Leland Corker (born 1967) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Education

Corker received a Bachelor of Business Administration from James Madison University and a Juris Doctor from William & Mary Law School.

Career

After graduating from law school, Corker clerked for then-Magistrate Judge Cynthia D. Kinser of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. From 1994 to 1995, he was a volunteer with the Federal Public Defender's office in Greeneville. He then spent a year at Terry, Terry & Stapleton. From 1996 to 2015, Corker had a solo practice in Johnson City, before becoming a magistrate judge. There, he handled matters including complex civil litigation and capital murder cases. On November 28, 2018, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

On January 3, 2019, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. On January 23, 2019, President Trump announced his intent to renominate Corker for a federal judgeship. His nomination was sent to the Senate later that day. On February 7, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote. On July 17, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 55–41 vote. On July 18, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by a 55–39 vote. He received his judicial commission on July 22, 2019.

Notable rulings

On June 19, 2023, Corker ruled (in the case of Ultima Services Corp. v. US Department of Agriculture) that the Small Business Administration's 8(a) program, which is meant to award contracts to socially and economically disadvantaged people's businesses, violated the US Constitution's guarantee of equal protection by its presumption that any members of certain racial groups are thereby disadvantaged.

On February 23, 2024, Corker issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from enforcing rules to the extent those rules "prohibit student-athletes from negotiating compensation for [name, image, or likeness ('NIL')] with any third-party entity," including boosters and booster-led collectives.

Personal life

Corker is unrelated to former U.S. Senator from Tennessee Bob Corker.